The Hindu 12.07.2009
Lack of Corporation-run higher secondary schools a major hitch
Syed Muthahar Saqaf and M. Balaganessin
| Even ‘municipality schools’ are run by the Directorate of School Education |
— Photos: R. Ashok & M. Moorthy 
D. Gowri, Teacher, Child Labour Special School, Ambikapuram: “The possibility of increase in drop-out rate beyond SSLC should not be ignored”.
Dr. R. Rajendran, former Headmaster, K.A.P. Viswanatham HSS: “Students from the city slum areas are the worst hit”.
— Photo: R.M. Rajarathinam 
More institutions needed: Corporation High School, E.B. Road, in Tiruchi.
TIRUCHI: Absence of Corporation-run higher secondary schools in Tiruchi has been a major handicap for the students completing the SSLC, the qualifying examination for admission to the Plus One course.
Although, during the 1960s and 70s, the then Tiruchi municipality had attached priority for starting a number of Municipal primary and middle schools, adequate follow-up was not in place for upgrading these institutions in to the next higher category, forcing the students to join in the private / aided schools for pursuing their higher studies.
Chennai, Madurai and Coimbatore cities account for many Corporation higher secondary schools, providing good educational opportunity to youngsters belonging to the economically downtrodden sections. The Corporation Higher Secondary Schools run by Coimbatore Corporation produce very good results in the public examinations.
Tiruchi Corporation, though a major local body, is yet to take adequate effort to start a higher secondary school. Even its lone High School and numerous middle schools continue to be called as ‘municipality schools’. The Corporation is taking care of only the maintenance of these schools at present, and they are being run by the Directorate of School Education.
The absence of Corporation higher secondary schools has caused much resentment among the economically weaker sections, educationists and the organisations involved in the elimination of the child labour menace.
Apart from the Corporation-run schools providing higher education at a very low cost, the ambience of continuing the education within the same campus or at a school in the periphery of a student’s residence, will enhance his/her academic efficiency, educationists feel.
The students completing middle school-level education at the municipal schools face a lot of difficulty in gaining admission to the government aided schools for continuing their education.
The municipal middle schools in airport area and K. K. Nagar have a good student strength and adequate space for immediate expansion/upgrading proposals. If upgraded into higher secondary schools, they will do the best educational service to the needy. The Corporation should take the initiative with immediate effect, the locals feel.
The former Headmaster of K.A.P. Viswanatham Higher Secondary School, R. Rajendran, says that students hailing from urban slums in the city were the worst-hit due to the absence of Corporation HSS. At times, the economic non-affordability of several parents prevents their wards from pursuing education beyond SSLC. He laments that even the number of Government-run higher secondary schools in the city was few and far between, not commensurate with the strength of SSLC-qualified students. “The finger-count Government Higher secondary schools do not and cannot accommodate all the eligible pupils”, Dr. Rajendran says.
